Monday, January 11, 2010

gamelan



gong suwukan
NMM 9915B. Gong Suwukan in Laras Slendro "1." Medium-sized bronze gong with strong, thick cord through two holes in the rim. Diameter (backside): 54.6 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf (view close-up of carving on stand leg). Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9917C. Gong Suwukan in Laras Pelog "2." Medium-sized bronze gong with strong, thick cord through two holes in the rim. Diameter (backside): 50.8 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. Function: The gong suwukan is a structure instrument that plays in designated places within a composition, relative to the patterns played by the kempiang/kethuk, kenong, and kempul. In many compositions, there are multiple phrases ending with the playing of the gongs and the entire series of phrases can be repeated many times. This gong is used when there are multiple gongs within a piece of music and is not normally used at the beginning, end, or as the last gong of a repeated series of gongs. The gong suwukan can also be used to emphasize certain melodic phrases within a gong phrase. Playing technique: The gong suwukan is played by hitting the node with the soft end of the mallet. NMM 9916E. Kempul in Laras Pelog "1." Small bronze gong. Diameter (backside): 33.2 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9916A. Kempul in Laras Pelog "6." Small bronze gong. Diameter (backside): 37.3 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9916C. Kempul in Laras Pelog "3." Small bronze gong. Diameter (backside): 43.5 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9916B. Kempul in Laras Pelog "5." Small bronze gong. Diameter (backside): 41.2 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9916D. Kempul in Laras Pelog "7." Small bronze gong. Diameter (backside): 36.1 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. Function: The kempul is a structure instrument. It plays in designated places within a composition depending on the structure of the music and relative to the patterns played by the kempiang/kethuk, kenong, and gong. Playing technique: The kempul is played by hitting the node with the soft end of the mallet. NMM 9917D. Gong Suwukan in Laras Pelog "7." Medium-sized bronze gong with strong, thick cord through two holes in the rim. Diameter (backside): 53.7 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. NMM 9917B. Gong Suwukan in Laras Pelog "1." Medium-sized bronze gong with strong, thick cord through two holes in the rim. Diameter (backside): 53.1 cm. Three-piece teakwood stand decorated with nagas (dragons) wearing crowns ("dragon king") and flower and leaf pattern covered in gold leaf. Mallet (tabuh) with a long handle and heavy, thick red cloth padding on one end wrapped in red cord. Function: The gong suwukan is a structure instrument that plays in designated places within a composition, relative to the patterns played by the kempiang/kethuk, kenong, and kempul. In many compositions, there are multiple phrases ending with the playing of the gongs and the entire series of phrases can be repeated many times. This gong is used when there are multiple gongs within a piece of music and is not normally used at the beginning, end, or as the last gong of a repeated series of gongs. The gong suwukan can also be used to emphasize certain melodic phrases within a gong phrase. Playing technique: The gong suwukan is played by hitting the node with the soft end of the mallet.

gamelan gong ageng


The gong ageng (Kromo Javanese meaning large gong, ngoko is gong gedhe) is the largest gong in a Javanese and Balinese gamelan. It is used as to mark the largest phrases in the structure. In small structures, the gong ageng is used to mark larger groups than the smaller gong suwukan. In the larger gendhing, only the gong ageng is used. It is typically pitched to match the 6 of the gamelan. Full gamelans sometimes only have one, for both pélog and sléndro, but can have both as well, even if the pitches are the same.
The gong suwukan or gong siyem is the smaller gong in the set used for smaller phrases. It is generally pitched higher, and at different pitches for pélog and sléndro. Frequently gamelans will have more than one gong suwukan, for different ending notes, and different pathet. Most common is a 1 for pathet sanga and lima, and 2 for pélog pathet nem and barang, and sléndro pathet nem and manyura. Usually a 1 can be played for gatra ending in 1 or 5, and a 2 for 2 or 6. A few gamelans include a gong suwukan 3 as well.
A gongan is the time between soundings of the gong which can vary from a few seconds to several minutes depending on the tempo, irama, and length of the structure (bentuk). It is the longest time-span in the colotomic structure of gamelan. The goong ageung plays a similar role in Sundanese gamelan (e.g. degung). The kempur in Balinese gamelan is similar to the gong suwukan (and not to be confused with the Javanese kempul In other Indonesian and Philippine cultures, its analog is the agung.

Gamelan gong kebyar


Gamelan gong kebyar is a modern style or genre of Balinese gamelan music. Kebyar means "the process of flowering", and refers to the explosive changes in tempo and dynamics characteristic of the style. It is the most popular form of gamelan in Bali, and its best known musical export. Gong kebyar music is based on a five-tone scale called pelog selisir (tones 1, 2, 3, 5, and 6 of the 7-tone pelog scale), and is characterized by brilliant sounds, syncopations, sudden and gradual changes in sound colour, dynamics, tempo and articulation, and complex, complementary interlocking melodic and rhythmic patterns called kotekan.

Sunday, January 10, 2010

Gamelan Sekaten

Gamelan Sekaten adalah benda pusaka Kraton yang disebut Kanjeng Kyai Sekati dalam dua rancak, yaitu Kanjeng Kyai Nogowilogo dan Kanjeng Kyai Guntur Madu. Gamelan Sekaten tersebut dibuat oleh Sunan Giri yang ahli dalam kesenian karawitan dan disebut-sebut sebagai gamelan dengan laras pelog yang pertama kali dibuat. Alat pemukulnya dibuat dari tanduk lembu atau tanduk kerbau dan untuk dapat menghasilkan bunyi pukulan yang nyaring dan bening, alat pemukul harus diangkat setinggi dahi sebelum dipuk pada masing-masing gamelan.

Sedangkan Gendhing Sekaten adalah serangkaian lagu gendhing yang digunakan, yaitu Rambu pathet lima, Rangkung pathet lima, Lunggadhung pelog pathet lima, Atur-atur pathet nem, Andong-andong pathet lima, Rendheng pathet lima, Jaumi pathet lima, Gliyung pathet nem, Salatun pathet nem, Dhindhang Sabinah pathet em, Muru putih, Orang-aring pathet nem, Ngajatun pathet nem, Batem Tur pathet nem, Supiatun pathet barang, dan Srundeng gosong pelog pathet barang.

gamelan Myanmar


circa 1930: A gamelan being played in Burma. The gamelan consists of a circle of small drums which have a boss in the centre and are played by a man sitting in the middle striking them with a small hammer. (Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images)